Sección I. 2. Innovaciones paradigmáticas (historia mundial como historia global)

Autor

Peter Gran (Temple University, USA)

Título

Overcoming New World Exceptionalism in World History-Cortez without Hegel

Resumen

The much criticized Hegelian paradigm of the "Rise of the West" draws considerable sustenance from the concept of "the New World" when juxtaposed against that of Europe. This is apparent both in work from the liberal tradition and in that from the Marxist tradition as well.

Applying theorization drawn from "The Rise of the Rich" (Syracuse U. Press, 2009), this paper argues that the Mexico that Cortez conquered could be better understood as part of world-wide trends of the period and does not require the aura of newness with which it is usually imbued. Some useful information in support of this view is drawn from the classic work, "The Broken Spears-The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico" written by Miguel Leon-Portilla.